Family, friends support the country's injured Olympian

Taiwan's Olympic bobsledder Steve Lee (李嘉展) remains in intensive care in the US after a horrific crash with an 18-wheel tractor-trailor, but friends and relatives have rallied to his aid.

Team Taiwan spokesman Sam Huang (黃柳宗) was driving home from the Olympic Games in Utah on Tuesday with Lee when he lost control of his vehicle in Davenport, Iowa and veered across the highway into the path of the truck.

Huang was slightly injured and released from hospital, but Lee lost a kidney, broke his leg and ribs, had a collapsed lung and damaged his spleen, among other injuries.

In the latest update from relatives and friends here and in the US, Lee was said to be stable after emergency surgery but still on life support machines.

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs and National Council of Physical Fitness and Sports were informed of the accident and have arranged for Lee's mother to fly from Taiwan to her son's bedside.

She was expected to fly out to Chicago yesterday.

Meanwhile, an impassioned Huang hit back yesterday in an e-mail to the Taipei Times against the "morons" who have belittled Taiwan's Olympic campaign.

He said, "My fellow sliders tried their best and if you can say 48th- or 29th place is bad, well that is 48th- and 29th-place on the entire planet.

"So, lets see if anyone has the determination to compete against us," Huang said.

"People that talk the talk definitely cannot walk one step with anyone of my teammates."

A relief fund has been set up for Steve Lee by his family and friends.